Well, it appears flattery and groveling and free ponies totally work with you guys. (I mean, come on now, of course it worked! Who doesn’t like a little flattery and a few free ponies?)

On Monday, I found out that I won the award for the Best Asian Weblog. And let me tell you that was no easy feat as I had to beat out some pretty fierce competition.

Yayyyy!

(Yes, that is a photo I took of my computer screen because I still don’t know how to take a screenshot even though a lot of you told me how to do it last time. But I’m not really very good at following directions… or understanding directions which happen to use fancy high-tech words like “double-click” and “computer screen.” Besides, I’d like to think my winning this award is just proof that you all love me just the way I am – namely, hopeless.)

Needless to say, I’ve been pretty pumped ever since I found out about my win.

This is even more exciting than the time I won that box of freeze-dried fish after running my first 5K race in Japan. (Don’t be too impressed. Everyone won a box of freeze-dried fish at that race. I suspect this was a ploy to lure as many race participants as possible. And I’m thinking it probably worked. I mean, who wouldn’t want a whole box of freeze-dried fish… besides, umm, me, that is?)

Really? I thought I was getting a t-shirt.

Of course, I couldn’t have done this without you.

Now, I would really love to pay you all back in some way for all your support and votes and encouragement. But, sadly, the award does not come with any kind of cash payment or even a shiny statue that I can try to trade in for stuff.

So, I’ve been racking my brain for the past couple days trying to think of a suitable token of my appreciation.

And this is what I came up with:

(Yes, that is my couch in the background. I felt it only right that it was included. And, yes, indeedy, I am wearing my bathrobe. Because, sure, I could have dressed up for a fancy victory photo-shoot but I’d hate for you to think I’d already gone changing on you.)

That wasn’t intentional at all. I was having difficulty writing the sign as I had to write it backwards (as I was using Photobooth to take the picture and for some reason it takes mirror image pictures). And then when I saw the picture, I was like, “Cool, a horseshoe. Everyone’s going to think I’m so clever… when I’m actually just really bad at using Sharpies.”

Yay! Let fly the confetti! [and who doesn’t like a ticker-tape parade?] Well deserved & much applause! Also, now you can add a tastefully discrete but completely obvious “award winning” banner somewhere on your webpage…

“Tastefully discrete”? That doesn’t really sound like me. I was thinking instead of putting a dancing unicorn in the sidebar with the words “I won! I won! I won” written in rainbow colors on its flanks. That’s tasteful, right?

Ha ha! I can’t say I was a big fan of the freeze-dried food. In fact, the only reason why I ran that race was because my friends promised me I’d win a t-shirt. It took me like 5 races before I actually got a t-shirt. I kept winning fish and cabbage and onions.

A pink pleather outfit, a supreme couch, a dumpling obsession, and the most compulsive readers EVER – Of course you won it – we wouldn’t have it any other way! Damn it!jan recently posted..IT’S RAINING CATS AND DOGS IN ITALY

Way to go! I sure think you deserve this win. I look forward to your posts, it’s like getting a letter in the mail from a far away friend (which doesn’t ever happen any more). Not so sure you deserved the freeze-dried fish though, at least not a full box. Come on, it wasn’t a marathon. Congratulations!Ross recently posted..Back of Beyond

You know what, you can always give people virtual pictures of ponies. There’s uber amounts of pony artwork on the webs these days considering the popularity of the current My Little Pony – Friendship is Magic series…

Awesome! Congratulations! Ok, someone else can have my pony. I deal with enough horse-related stereotypes living in Texas. I don’t need you adding fuel to the fire.Leah Travels recently posted..Texas: A Whole Other Country (Literally)

Oh, well, a puppy should be much easier to find. There are plenty of stray ones roaming the streets near my house. I just hope you don’t mind fleas… and possibly rabies.
And love the packaging suggestion. I’ll get on that right away.

That’s awesome. Congratulations. My blog was a finalist too, but I’m honestly happy yours won. I LOVE the concept of it because I’m a bit of a scaredy cat too… but have some how managed to end up living in India. 😉 Best wishes!!! And, I’m going to keep reading your blog.Sharell recently posted..The Worst Poured Beer I’ve Ever Seen